New Frontier: The Pharmacy Informatics & Technology Suite is Here

A New Paradigm for a New Era

The practice of pharmacy is no longer just about molecules; it is about data. We are in the midst of a profound digital transformation, a paradigm shift as significant as the transition from apothecary to clinical practitioner. An ever-expanding universe of data—flowing from electronic health records, genomic sequencers, wearable devices, and digital therapeutics—is fundamentally reshaping our understanding of medication management. In this new era, the most effective pharmacists are becoming data scientists, technology strategists, and digital health navigators.

The challenge and the opportunity are clear: we must move beyond simply using technology and begin to strategically lead with it. We must harness the power of data to move from reactive care to predictive, personalized, and population-focused health. This requires a new set of skills, a new way of thinking, and a new, more rigorous standard of professional excellence.

As we detailed in our 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, the first pillar of our vision is “Anticipatory Credentialing”—a commitment to defining the future of practice before it arrives. Today, after an intensive research and development process guided by a national panel of the foremost experts in health information technology, we are proud to unveil the first major fulfillment of that vision.

To define the standards for this new frontier, the Council on Pharmacy Standards (CPS) proudly launches the Pharmacy Informatics & Technology Suite—a comprehensive portfolio of six groundbreaking certifications for the architects of digital pharmacy. 

An In-Depth Examination of the Pharmacy Informatics & Technology Suite

This portfolio is the result of our “Horizon Scanning” research initiative, which identified these six roles as critical to the future success, safety, and innovation of the pharmacy enterprise. Each certification is designed to validate the deep, specialized expertise required to lead in a data-driven world.

Certified AI-Enhanced Pharmacy Strategist (CAEPS)

The Professional Imperative: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are rapidly moving from theoretical concepts to practical tools in healthcare. The challenge for health systems is not simply to acquire AI software, but to strategically implement it in a way that is effective, ethical, and provides a true return on investment. The CAEPS is the executive-level leader who can meet this challenge. The Scope of Practice: This is our most senior-level technology certification, designed for the pharmacy leader who can bridge the gap between data science and C-suite strategy. The CAEPS understands the different modalities of AI—from natural language processing to predictive analytics—and can identify the highest-impact use cases within the pharmacy enterprise. Their expertise lies in developing an AI governance framework, creating a business case for AI investments, and leading the complex change management required for successful implementation. They are responsible for evaluating AI vendors, ensuring the ethical use of algorithms to prevent bias, and measuring the impact of AI initiatives on clinical, operational, and financial outcomes. This could involve deploying ML models to predict medication non-adherence, using AI to optimize high-cost drug inventory, or implementing intelligent automation to streamline manual workflows. Who Should Certify: This certification is designed for senior pharmacy leaders, including Directors of Pharmacy, Chief Pharmacy Officers, and Directors of Pharmacy Informatics, who are responsible for long-term technology strategy and innovation. Validated Competencies: The CAEPS credential validates a mastery of the strategic, ethical, and operational considerations of AI in pharmacy. It assesses an individual’s ability to develop a comprehensive AI roadmap, to understand and mitigate the risks of algorithmic bias, and to lead their organization in the responsible adoption of intelligent technologies that will define the next generation of patient care.

Certified Digital Therapeutics Specialist (CDTS)

The Professional Imperative: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ushered in a new class of medicine: prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs). These are sophisticated, software-based interventions that have undergone rigorous clinical trials to prove their efficacy in treating conditions ranging from substance use disorder and ADHD to irritable bowel syndrome. Pharmacists, as medication experts, must be prepared to manage this new therapeutic category. The Scope of Practice: The CDTS is the definitive clinical expert in PDTs and the broader digital health ecosystem. They are responsible for critically evaluating the clinical evidence for new digital therapeutics, much like they would for a new drug. Their role involves working with P&T committees to make formulary decisions, designing the unique “dispensing” and fulfillment pathways for these software-based treatments, and developing patient counseling and onboarding programs. They understand the mechanisms of action (often based on cognitive behavioral therapy), the data privacy implications, and how to integrate PDTs into comprehensive patient care plans alongside traditional medications. Who Should Certify: This certification is for forward-thinking clinicians and formulary managers in health systems and managed care, as well as pharmacists working in digital health startups and innovation centers. Validated Competencies: The CDTS credential validates a professional’s expertise in the entire lifecycle of digital therapeutics. It assesses a deep understanding of the FDA’s regulatory framework for software as a medical device (SaMD), the ability to critically appraise the clinical trial data supporting a PDT, and the skills to develop and implement clinical and operational workflows for integrating these novel therapies into patient care.

Certified Pharmacy Informatics Analyst (CPIA)

The Professional Imperative: The modern pharmacy enterprise generates a colossal amount of data from dozens of disconnected systems. This data is a dormant, strategic asset. The CPIA is the expert who awakens that asset, transforming raw data into the actionable intelligence that drives informed decision-making. The Scope of Practice: The CPIA is a hands-on data expert, a master of pharmacy’s digital supply chain. They are proficient in writing queries (e.g., SQL) to extract data from disparate sources like the EHR, automated dispensing cabinets, purchasing systems, and billing software. Their core function is to then validate, analyze, and visualize that data using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or other business intelligence platforms. They are the creators of the dashboards that track departmental KPIs, the authors of the reports that analyze drug spend, and the analysts who can identify trends in medication safety events or clinical interventions. Who Should Certify: This certification is essential for pharmacy informaticists, pharmacy business or financial analysts, and drug utilization specialists whose primary role involves data analysis and reporting. Validated Competencies: The CPIA credential validates an individual’s technical and analytical skills. It assesses proficiency in data extraction and validation techniques, the principles of effective data visualization, and the ability to build and maintain reports and dashboards that clearly communicate key insights to clinical and operational leaders. A CPIA is the indispensable data storyteller of the pharmacy department.

Certified EHR Optimization Pharmacist (CEOP)

The Professional Imperative: The Electronic Health Record is the single most important tool in the medication-use process, yet its out-of-the-box configuration is often inefficient, cumbersome, and can even introduce new types of safety risks. The CEOP is the specialist dedicated to transforming the EHR from a passive documentation tool into an active, intelligent partner in patient safety. The Scope of Practice: The CEOP is an expert in the clinical architecture of the medication-use system within the EHR (e.g., Epic Willow, Cerner PharmNet). Their work is a blend of clinical expertise and technical acumen. They are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining safer and more intuitive clinical decision support (CDS), including drug interaction alerts, dose range checks, and therapeutic guidance. They optimize medication order sets to guide prescribers toward best practices, and they constantly seek to redesign workflows to reduce click burden, combat alert fatigue, and improve the efficiency of both pharmacists and prescribers. Who Should Certify: This certification is designed for informatics pharmacists who specialize in the clinical build and maintenance of an enterprise EHR system. Validated Competencies: The CEOP credential validates a deep expertise in human factors engineering, the principles of effective clinical decision support design, and CDS governance. It assesses a candidate’s ability to analyze medication safety data to identify opportunities for EHR-based improvements and their technical skill in configuring and testing medication-related components within a specific vendor’s system.

Certified Population Health Pharmacy Analyst (CPHPA)

The Professional Imperative: As healthcare shifts from a fee-for-service model to value-based care, the unit of focus expands from the individual patient to the health of an entire population. Pharmacists are central to success in this model, but their efforts must be guided by sophisticated data analysis. The Scope of Practice: The CPHPA is the data expert for a pharmacist-led population health program. They work with large datasets from patient registries, insurance claims, and EHRs to proactively manage the health of defined patient cohorts. Their role involves building algorithms to stratify patients by risk (e.g., identifying patients at high risk for hospitalization), using analytics to identify gaps in care (e.g., patients with diabetes who are not on a statin), and developing robust metrics to measure the clinical and financial impact of pharmacist interventions on a population level. Who Should Certify: This certification is ideal for pharmacists and analysts working within accountable care organizations (ACOs), managed care health plans, and large health systems with a dedicated population health department. Validated Competencies: The CPHPA credential validates a professional’s expertise in using population health IT platforms, applying risk stratification methodologies, and understanding and impacting key quality metrics (e.g., HEDIS, Medicare Stars). It signifies an ability to use data not just to report on the past, but to proactively shape a healthier future for entire communities.

Certified Pharmacy Data Privacy Officer (CPDPO)

The Professional Imperative: The immense power of pharmacy data comes with an equally immense responsibility to protect it. A breach of pharmacy-related patient data can be catastrophic, leading to devastating patient harm, severe financial penalties, and a complete loss of public trust. The Scope of Practice: The CPDPO is the designated expert in safeguarding protected health information (PHI) across the entire pharmacy data ecosystem. This role requires a deep, granular understanding of HIPAA’s Security and Privacy Rules, state-level privacy laws, and the unique vulnerabilities of modern pharmacy systems. Their responsibilities include conducting formal security risk assessments of pharmacy technologies, developing and implementing policies for data access and control, managing business associate agreements with vendors, and creating the incident response plan for a potential data breach. Who Should Certify: This certification is designed for pharmacy compliance officers, medication safety officers who handle sensitive data, and informatics leaders who share responsibility for the security of pharmacy IT systems. Validated Competencies: The CPDPO credential validates a mastery of healthcare data privacy and security regulations. It assesses expertise in risk assessment methodologies, the principles of cybersecurity as they apply to healthcare (e.g., encryption, access controls), and the legal and operational requirements for responding to and reporting a data breach. A CPDPO is the essential guardian of the patient’s most sensitive information.

The Data Lifecycle: An Integrated Vision

This suite of six certifications is designed to function as a cohesive ecosystem, recognizing the specialists who manage the entire lifecycle of data in pharmacy. The CEOP ensures high-quality data is generated at the point of care. The CPIA and CPHPA analyze and translate that data into intelligence. The CAEPS uses that intelligence to build advanced, AI-driven strategies. The CDTS manages the new streams of data from digital medicines. And through it all, the CPDPO ensures that data is protected, secure, and used ethically.

“This portfolio is a bold statement about the future,” noted the Chief Medical Information Officer of a major academic health system, who served as the SME Chair for this initiative. “It recognizes that the modern pharmacy enterprise runs on data. Having a team of certified experts who can optimize our systems, analyze our data, strategize with AI, and protect our information is no longer a luxury; it is the fundamental requirement for delivering safe, efficient, and innovative care. CPS has provided the essential blueprint for building the pharmacy team of the future.”

For the Architects of Digital Pharmacy: Eligibility and Details

These certifications are designed for professionals with a demonstrated blend of clinical and technical expertise. Eligibility will require a combination of pharmacy licensure and specific experience in an informatics, analytics, technology, or related leadership role. Completion of a PGY2 residency or fellowship in pharmacy informatics is a highly recommended pathway.

The official Candidate Handbooks for all six certifications are now available for download. Registration for the inaugural examination window opens on May 1, 2025. Examinations will be administered via Live Remote Proctoring and at our network of in-person test centers beginning September 2, 2025.

The future of pharmacy will be written in lines of code, analyzed in massive data sets, and powered by intelligent algorithms. The leaders who will write, analyze, and power that future will be certified.

Be a part of the new frontier. Explore the Pharmacy Informatics & Technology Suite today.

The Leadership Team, Council on Pharmacy Standards (CPS)